A minimum of seven individuals have perished and a significant number are lost after a boat carrying about 200 migrants seeking to enter the European continent sank near the shoreline of The Gambia, officials state.
The craft flipped in the early hours of Thursday in the vicinity of Jinack in the northern bank region and it was subsequently discovered "beached on a shoal", the nation's defense ministry stated in a release.
96 individuals have been rescued so far and a rescue operation continues for those still missing who were aboard the capsized craft that was heading towards the Canary Islands of Spain.
The dangerous voyage over the Atlantic Ocean has emerged as a rising pathway for African asylum seekers trying to reach the EU.
Nearly 47,000 people arrived at the Canary Islands in last year and data indicates over 9,000 migrants perished in the attempt.
Ongoing Mission
In the aftermath of the disaster, Gambia's naval forces began a search-and-rescue operation, involving multiple navy ships and a fishing vessel that came to assist, the defence ministry reported.
Authorities say some of the deceased are foreign nationals and that their details are still being checked.
The bodies of the seven people who died were found, and ten of the survivors are said to be in critical condition and undergoing emergency treatment.
An Established Corridor
This West African nation is a common pathway taken by migrants seeking to get to the EU, often on hazardous voyages over water and land.
In recent years, the European Union has forged deals with a number of North African nations designed to limiting irregular migration.
